We Are The Cure : The Plague Doctor's Tale.

Chapter 26

It was late afternoon when Giovanni and Rosalynn were coming back home exhausted. They took care of almost everyone, except for 3 families whose physical condition was in a pitiful state. 

Working with Giovanni wasn't as smooth and agreeable as working with Doctor but Rosalynn believed that he is still learning the ropes. Although Giovanni already had some experience in fighting plague, not all of his methods of treatment were consistent with Doctor's and that was Rosalynn's job to supervise Giovanni's work. Sometimes she was correcting him what usually led to arguments between them. However, they were able to quickly make up and work together. 

On their way back home, they noticed a group of people gathering on the town square. All the townspeople were talking but there was one particular person who was speaking the most. It was a a tall, rather young priest who was speaking fiercely with his hands. Initially, they though he was preaching but as they were passing the crowd, a fragment of his speech reached their ears.

"She was truly standing there! Just as I am standing here with you!" He was speaking loudly with excitement combined with confusion and some sort of madness.

"And how did she look like?" Asked a woman.

"Like herself! She was standing there flesh and blood!"

"That's unbelievable!" Someone in the crowd shouted.

"Sorry to interrupt you, Padre." All of sudden Giovanni spoke and the eyes of the crowd were set on him and Rosalynn, who was standing right next to him. When the townsfolk saw their beaked masks and long cloaks they gasped and made a few steps back towards the priest.

"Yes... son?" He also didn't expect to see such bizarre creatures standing in the town's centre.

"May I ask you a question?" The priest wanted to answer negatively but Giovanni didn't care whether he could ask or not and just asked instead. "What is your rambling all about? You speak as you just saw a devil itself, or at least a ghost."

"And that's how it was indeed!" Shouted the priest fiercely clenching his hands into fists. "To be fair, I didn't expect to see here so I was a little surprised. After a while I decided to speak to her but she wouldn't answer me and disappeared in the air! I didn't want to show my bewilderment to my dear pupil so I told him that..." He already forgot to fully answer Giovanni's question and continued his incredible story gesticulating like a madman. Giovanni crossed his arms unsatisfied but Rosalynn put her hand on his shoulder and the two decided to go back home. 

There they met Doctor and Annabelle, who was in the process of preparing a late dinner for them. 

"Well, I expected you to come and eat dinner at noon but I guess that's why your profession is so specific." She shrugged her shoulders and came back to cooking humming a cheerful song.

Rosalynn noticed that Doctor was sitting in the living room and thinking intensively as he didn't even greet them when they were entering the house. She approached him and bent over.

"Hello Doctor." She greeted him first and only then he noticed their presence.

"Oh, you are back finally. I was getting worried about you two." He looked at her and then at Giovanni. "Aren't you in the mood, Giovanni?"

"Nah. Doesn't matter so please don't bother yourself. I will go clean myself before dinner." He left the living room and disappeared behind the door of his own room.

"Did you two get into an argument again?" Asked Doctor gravely as Rosalynn was taking off the mask.

"Oh, no. It wasn't me this time although we argued a lot today." She wiped her face of sweat using a handkerchief. 

"So who was it then?" Doctor crossed his arms. He didn't like it when somebody was questioning their skills and knowledge. 

"A priest. We met him on our way back here. It seemed as he was doing some sort of storytelling rather than preaching." She sat next to Doctor who quickly drove her off the sofa.

"No touching the objects of everyday use right after visiting the sick. Go and clean yourself first." She sighed heavily, stood up reluctantly and was about to enter her room when Doctor stopped her. "How did the priest look like?"

"Let me think. He seemed rather young and slim. He had dark eyes and short brown hair. Oh and he was very emotional while speaking." When she was done she also disappeared in her room and Doctor was even more intrigued with the events that were happening in this town.

...

Soon all the three gathered at the table to eat in silence which was interrupted with Annabelle's happy humming. Of course, Doctor refused to eat by the table with everyone so he was just keeping them company. He noticed that Annabelle looked like she was actually enjoying cooking and working for them. Her moves were precise and smooth, she knew when to stir the soup or when to add some seasoning or when to serve the other dish. She seemed perfect for her job.

Giovanni finished his plate first and as he stood up ready to head his bedroom, Doctor asked him to stay for a bit longer because he wanted to discuss something important with him and Rosalynn. Giovanni had no choice but wait for Rosalynn to finish her plate so then they could talk.

"Thank you for the meal." She thanked Annabelle and Doctor started the discussion.

"I assume we both met the same odd priest today." Hearing these words Annabelle almost choke with water she was drinking.

"An odd priest?" She wiped her lips and chin. "You mean Father Ruddell?" All the three looked at her confused and she laughed. "Please, don't bother yourself with this maniac." 

"Why not?" Asked Giovanni still angry at the priest.

"Oh Dear... Well... Father Ruddell is recently... not himself anymore." She seemed a little embarrassed. "It's because of Young Blight. It all started from him!" It looked like she was angry at the boy for causing the trouble.

"I think I've heard that name somewhere." Said Giovanni trying to recall the particular moment.

"Is he very pale and looks like a living-dead?" Asked Rosalynn and Giovanni clapped his hands finally remembering the person.

"Right! This weird boy!"

"It started a month ago." Started Annabelle. "Mark is Ruddell's pupil and once on his way back home from classes he saw a woman on the field who soon vanished into thin air." Doctor tilted his head to the left side intrigued. "Initially, she was just looking at him from the distance but gradually she started to come closer to Mark and then she was even following him home or school."  Rosalynn's eyes were open wide and Giovanni crossed his arms in disbelief. 

"Didn't he try to talk to her somehow? Or tell her to leave him alone?" Interrupted Giovanni.

"Oh, he sure did but the woman wouldn't answer him and just kept following him instead. She was so obstinate that the boy was scared to fall asleep. Eventually he told his parents about the spectre and they reached Father Ruddell for advice."

"And what did they do?" Asked Doctor.

"They wanted to see the ghost in fornt of their eyes so Mark's parents and the priest were walking Mark home for three days until they noticed her standing on the field and disappearing into thin air. Ever since, Father Ruddell gathers as much information of the ghost as possible and goes at the field to encounter it. Everything he finds out, he notes down in his notebook." Doctor nodded slowly as he remembered the priest holding a notebook in his hand. Annabelle made a little pause to drink some water and continued. "It is said that it is a ghost of Dorothy Durant, a lady who died several years ago. She was suffering from some kind of disease, I don't remember exactly the name of it, but it surely was the cause of her death. Her husband died of grieve few weeks later. They both didn't have any children." Finally she finished the story.

"So why is she haunting the boy now?" Asked Rosalynn confused as she didn't see any connection. 

"Jealousy." Answered Annabelle coldly looking at the window.